Wokingham

Wokingham's population increased by about 4,200 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 150,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Wokingham increased by 2.8%, from about 150,000 to 154,000.

The addition of just under 4,200 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Wokingham was home to, on average, 6.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Wokingham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Wokingham increased by three years, from 37 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 3,000.

About 11.0% of people in Wokingham are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Wokingham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health fell in Wokingham, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas across England.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 7.2% to 4.4%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) in Wokingham said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 4.6% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 77.6% to 87.8%.

Surrey Heath saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad (from 5.3% to 3.2%).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Wokingham decreased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wokingham, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Wokingham

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Wokingham was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.3 points.

In 2011, 28.0% of respondents in Wokingham gave this religion on the census compared with 17.8% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 64.2% said they were Christian, compared with 77.9% in 2001. About 1.4% said they were Sikh, compared with 1.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.1% to 7.8%.

In Wokingham, 7.3% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.6% in 2001. In South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Wokingham increased by 9.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Wokingham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Wokingham

The percentage of Wokingham residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.5% to 6.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 1.7%, while the percentage of Wokingham residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91.8% to 91.0%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Wokingham, but at a slower rate than in Reading (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Wokingham).

In Wokingham, the proportion of private renting increased from 7.7% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Reading increased from 15.2% to 26.1%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

The rate of social housing in Wokingham remained close to 7.0%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 83.3% to 79.7%.

Private renting in Wokingham increased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Wokingham, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Wokingham

In 2011, 7.4% of Wokingham residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 3.6% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 88.4% of people in Wokingham said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 93.9% in 2001. About 2.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.9% to 1.4%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Wokingham increased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Wokingham by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Wokingham working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14.9% to 11.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Wokingham decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Wokingham, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Wokingham residents that were unemployed increased from 1.6% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (59.3%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 61.1% in 2001. The percentage of Wokingham residents that were self-employed increased from 9.2% to 10.8%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Wokingham increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Wokingham, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Wokingham

The percentage of married people changed very little in Wokingham, while the proportion fell across the South East.

In Wokingham, the proportion of married people decreased from 58.6% in 2001 to 57.6% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion decreased from 52.8% to 49.3%.

Across the South East, the share of married people decreased from 52.8% to 49.3%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Wokingham remained close to 27.4%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 8.4% to 9.3%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Wokingham, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.3% to 8.9% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 22.6%, while the percentage of households in Wokingham which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 48.7% to 45.5%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Wokingham residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.5% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.6%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Wokingham remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Wokingham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Wokingham with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 9.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 33.2%, while the percentage of households in Wokingham without children remained close to 57.0%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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